IRIB probing actress Fatemeh Motamed-Arya ban over hijab

The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) is
studying to whether or not to impose a ban on Iranian cinema and television
actress Fatemeh Motamed-Arya.

The supervising committee will make a final decision and if the ban is approved,
the actress would be barred, deputy managing director of the Islamic Republic of
Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) Morteza Mirbaqeri told the Persian service of MNA.

Fatemah Motamed-Aria
photo by Sean Gallup

A picture showing Motamed-Arya without hijab and wearing a green wristband at
a place identified as the Doha pavilion at this year's Cannes Film Market was
published on the Jahan News and a number of other Persian websites. Motamed-Arya
was censured for her appearance at Cannes by an Iranian MP.

"The photo was taken in a cosmetics store while she was trying on several
costume jewelry bracelets of various colors; yellow, red, blue," Motamed-Arya's
husband Ahmad Hamed said.

Hamed threatened to file lawsuits against those websites that have published
reports about her participation in the Cannes film festival last month.

The actress was playing a major role in Mohammadreza Honarmand's TV series "The
Chef" which came to an end on Monday.

Motamed-Arya and Iranian filmmakers Mojtaba Mirtahmasb and Jafar Panahi were
barred from traveling abroad following the unrest that occurred after the 2009
Iranian presidential election.

However, Tehran Prosecutor General Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi lifted the travel
restrictions on Motamed-Arya last December.

The Green Opposition supporters hold a sign against IRIB at Tehran University in
December 2009IRIB is despised among Iranian people for their distorted coverage of
post-election protests